Hosted by Rochelle McConico.
Thanks, Matt Rife! You helped create a world where audiences now expect comedians to talk directly to them. But great crowd work isn’t as easy as it looks — it takes quick thinking, confidence, and the ability to create a joke in the moment. 

This show is for comedians ready to step up, trust their instincts, and bring their A-game with no script.

The Line Up:
CALEB ZERINGUE (San Francisco, CA) is a comic, writer, and producer who was the original executive producer and co-writer of Luigi the Musical, scaling it from a gay dental office in the Castro to a sold-out international phenomenon covered by the New York Times, NPR, and CNN. A NYC Queer Comedy Festival finalist, he has sets at Cobb’s, The Stand, Gotham, and Edinburgh Fringe. His latest, The Drill Master, co-written with Jenny Zigrino (Dropout, SiriusXM), is the mostly true story of America’s gayest founding daddy. Its LA staged reading starred Bobcat Goldthwait, Cameron Esposito, Adam Conover, and Dylan Adler. A fall NYC run is to be announced.

DANIELLE THORPE (Los Angeles, CA) is a Los Angeles-based stand-up comic, actor, and psychotherapist who performs regularly throughout Southern California. She recently appeared on Netflix’s #1 series, Nemesis, and her additional television credits include Yellowstone, Star Trek: Picard, The Morning Show, and Power. Her comedy is smart, dry, and conversational, with an emphasis on genuine audience connection.

JOSE DA’HYPE (Austin, TX) was born in New Orleans and exudes every ounce of performance and theatrics the city is known for. Hard hitting comedy and hot takes make them relatable for the era and a meaningful breath of fresh air in a Time where people need a jester to speak truth to power. Jose’s credentials include Netflix, YouTube, HBO, the CW, and fox. Jose brings the talent of an actor, writer, and lyricist to the stage as a full scale performer. Audiences can’t miss this tour de France of an entertainer.

SEKOU ALI (New York, NY) is a New York City stand-up comedian and retired NYPD Detective 2nd Grade known as “The Comedy Detective.” Combining 26 years of police experience with sharp storytelling and quick wit, Sekou has performed throughout the country, hosted for Russell Peters, and was the runner-up in the 2024 Last Comix Standing competition. His unique perspective on family, marriage, law enforcement, and everyday life has made him a favorite with audiences of all backgrounds.

SHAKIRA JA’NAI PAYE (Los Angeles, CA) is a comedian, actress, and writer. She performs on a house team at UCB and has sold TV pilots to Comedy Central and Netflix with Emmy winning duo Paul W. Downs and Lucia Aniello. She co-created the Shondaland/iHeartRadio podcast You Down?, stars in New Line Cinema’s House Party, and is a series regular on the sci-fi comedy Demascus. Her credits also include Black-ish, Modern Family and more.

SYMPLY COURTNEY (Austin, TX) is a comic, storyteller, and beatboxer who has performed all over the U.S. in comedy clubs, bars, churches, community centers, a gun store, and even a train, Courtney effortlessly weaves social commentary and quirky personal anecdotes about fatherhood and growing up with a unisex name. Courtney's onstage poise and playful off-the-cuff interactions with audience members leave the crowd feeling like they just spent the evening with their (really funny) best friend. He can currently be heard on Wednesday morning's Austin KAZI 88.7 FM.

VENESSA PERUDA (New York, NY) is a Colombian-American comedy writer and performer from So. California now based in NYC. She has over 10 years of experience writing, performing, and producing comedy. A StandUp NBC Finalist. The creatrix of ‘All the Rage’ a dark comedy about female rage. Director of ‘FOUL’ the web series. She’s been accepted into Montreal’s Just Jokes Fest, The World Series of Comedy (Boston), The Chicago Comedy Film Festival, Cape Fear Comedy Festival, Brooklyn Comedy Festival, Red Hook Film Festival, Manhattan Int’l Film Fest, and Beverly Hills New Media Fest.